As a 14 yr old i remember running from a train station to the record shop to buy it, I had been away for a week got home straight upstairs put it on, I was in a dream it was the most wonderful album, it still is. It takes you on a journey, the brilliant Telegraph made my heart skip a beat, International is the most beautiful song they ever did, the abstract nature of Dazzle Ships and the cleverness of ABC its something to be marvelled at. Nothing in 25 years has taken away the majic it's just a shame it took the populus 25 years to catch up. Bring on the Dazzle Ships tour.
Note: This Review was made by Play.com customer: viperman on Rakuten’s Play.com on the date shown.

DAZZLE SHIPS sail again! OMD's timeless masterpiece!

Posted by Play.com Reviewer, 03/03/2008 06:35:54

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK,this time around and on their 4th album moved away from the "orchestral" side to their music and created an adventurous conceptual trip that would include robots in the checkoslovackian industry,world economics,genetic engineering,cold war,radios waves and telescope romance! All blend to an album of abstract sound collage,vibrant pop and electronic melancholy called "DAZZLE SHIPS",title suggested by Saville who reached artistic brillliance creating the sleeve of the year together with 4 other designers and architects of his company Peter Saville Associates.
First single "Genetic Engineering" a nursery rhyme brilliantly inspired and unbelievably difficult for a pop song,got released to shock the audience that believed the reviewers and not OMD. From no 28 to number 20 and then down again at the UK TOP 40.
"Dazzle Ships" often described as a fractured album that confused the audience created controversy and a new war between the UK critics and the band.
Andy also impressed from how much control over their releases Kraftwerk had (this meeting with their heroes on 1982 was a big influence i believe/ a hommage to them in a sense like to neu on "Genetic Engineering"'s b-side!), decided that OMD should do what they have in mind and believed the audience will give it a chance!... Second single "Telegraph" was their first single that wasn't a hit in the UK after six TOP 20 singles in a row. Thankfully it got saved by becoming a classic OMD number at their live set!
"Dazzle Ships" reached no 5 but soon was out of the Top 40 album chart..
Reviewers were the worse hypocrits.Like they were about to nail OMD no matter what they'd release.
Accused them for being experimental but did they took the chance to listen to "International"'s and "Telegraph"'s and "Silent Running"'s?
Some accused them even for their lyrics! ("is Andy a young nazi?" about Genetic etc)
Others that they run out of ideas because of the inclusion of 2 old songs and the fact that tracks like "Radio Prague" are direct from radio or "Time Zones" an arrangement and annoying repeat etc
Well today Andy is considered "Grand daddy of sampling!"!
All these reviewers they didn't gave the chance like trying to scare the buying public away and they did their damage and at he end OMD themselves got scared because it's only human and this wonderful hobby of two talented young men is now big business!
Who knows what other albums OMD would have made if "Dazzle Ships" was a success back then.
Myself i disagree with Andy and Paul when they say that they should had re-consider to release "Dazzle Ships"
I always say the buying public and the reviewers should had re-consider and have more belief in OMD.
"Dazzle Ships" came out for the right reasons and today we see the proof how ahead of its time it was!
Maybe OMD should had not care and continue the road of the first four albums. But OMD is music made by people and the people grow and change and "Junk Culture" was kind of a logic response and after all OMD already have wrote history,they were just too young to be aware of it back then!
And how wonderful today to read that "Dazzle Ships" will be the culture re-issue off the month! Of the year i'd say!
Note: This Review was made by Play.com customer: alexmachairas on Rakuten’s Play.com on the date shown.

A timeless classic - ahead of its time/widely immitated

Posted by Play.com Reviewer, 19/02/2008 21:55:32

This album, at the time of release, was both good and bad from a fan's perspective. It's comparitive failure prompted the band's drift away from being a "British K-werk" to a straightforward pop/ballad US-focused band.
Can't wait for the reissue. The shortened version of Telegraph on the original release always was a real shame, now rectified on this remaster/re-release. Remember, without OMD's sound experiments would Art of Noise have hit their mark? Knockout live act in 2007!
Note: This Review was made by Play.com customer: ClareJo on Rakuten’s Play.com on the date shown.

A masterpiece

Posted by Play.com Reviewer, 12/02/2008 11:10:57

This hugely experimental release came after OMD's multi-million selling flagship album Architecture & Morality. Unfortunately it was a commercial disaster in comparison. However, now widely regarded as a timeless masterpiece, this remastered edition includes bonus track rarities. This is the one we have been waiting for. Fingers crossed for a 'Dazzle Ships' tour.
Note: This Review was made by Play.com customer: robrumbell on Rakuten’s Play.com on the date shown.